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Boeing unveils 787 Dreamliner
08/07/2007 14:20 - (SA)
Washington - Aircraft manufacturer Boeing rolls out its revolutionary new "green" passenger jet, the 787 Dreamliner, on Sunday with its order books already bursting at the seams.
More than 15 000 people were expected to gather at Boeing's giant plant in Everett, about 40km north of Seattle, for a glimpse of the plane as it is unveiled at 15:30 (22:30 GMT).
Boeing's first new model in 13 years takes advantage of the huge advances made in aviation technology in the past decade, and is capable of flying long-haul routes using up to 20 percent less fuel.
The Dreamliner boasts several revolutionary design features, most notably the use of high-tech plastic composites instead of aluminum.
Up to 50% of the primary structure of the plane - including the fuselage and wing - will be made of composites such as carbon-fiber, which reduce the weight of the planes.
Fuel usage
"The airplane will use 20% less fuel for comparable missions than today's similarly sized airplane," Boeing said in a statement.
The promise of lower fuel costs at a time of rising oil prices in a sector where profit margins are already razor-thin has whetted the appetites of several key players in the airline industry.
Boeing, which aims to build 2 000 Dreamliners over the next two decades, has so far received 677 orders from 47 companies for the plane, which has a catalogue price of between $146m to $200m.
The plane will make its maiden test flight later this year before going into commercial service with All Nippon Airways (ANA) in 2008 after the Japanese company placed its first order four years ago.
On Saturday, Australian flag-carrier Qantas said it was buying an additional 20 Boeing 787s on top of an order for 65 planes placed in December 2005.
Kuwait's ALAFCO Aviation Lease and Finance Company on Saturday signed for the direct purchase of 10 planes, valued at $1.62bn.
The new purchase builds on an order for 12 787s ALAFCO announced in March.
Air Berlin announced an order for 25 airplanes valued at four billion at list prices.
On top of the 25 orders, Air Berlin has secured 10 options and 15 purchase rights for additional 787s.
And aircraft leasing and finance specialist CIT has also ordered an additional five Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets doubling its order to 10 aircraft in a deal worth some 810 million dollars at book prices.
With its order books full, Boeing would only be able to deliver any new orders signed today in 2015, said Boeing's Mike Blair.
Three models
The Dreamliner comes in three models for both medium and long-haul flights with a seating capacity of between 210 to 330 places.
Able to fly up to 15 750km without refueling, it could easily manage a flight between New York and Manila, or Moscow and Sao Paulo, routes so far only open to bigger planes such as Boeing's 777 or 747.
Boeing hopes the Dreamliner will be used to open up profitable flights between cities which so far have no direct links such as Seattle-Shanghai, Boston-Athens or Madrid-Manila.
Richard Aboulafia, chief analyst with the Teal Group Corporation, said the Dreamliner was poised to revolutionize air travel if its projected rates of fuel-efficiency proved accurate.
"If you look at it from an airline standpoint: you don't have a choice," Aboulafia told AFP. "If you don't have a 787-class aircraft and your competitor does, he can under-price you and out-profit you.
The Dreamliner's other innovations include greater levels of comfort for passengers, with higher humidity levels within the cabin expected to reduce passenger dehydration.
The 787 will go into service after Airbus's mammoth A380 takes to the skies. The first units of the double-decker superjumbo - capable of seating up to 800 passengers - will be delivered to Singapore Airlines in October.
Analysts say the Dreamliner and the A380 reflect the different strategies of Boeing and Airbus as they seek to achieve the same objective - cheaper air travel.
In response to Boeing's Dreamliner, Airbus has announced plans for a further new model, the A350. But the new plane is not expected to be ready for commercial use until 2013.
- AFP
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